Chapter 20 - Admitting defeat

The smirk pulling at Jason’s lips made her skin prickle, but Maddie pushed aside her swelling anger. Instead, she forced every part of her attention on the Wild Shore warrior, dissecting his every move and catching every flicker in his expression. It was clear that he didn’t think much of her. Not only did his features betray the condescension of his gaze, but he was also hanging back, waiting for her to take the first move. He was acting like they were in a training session, and she was a newbie he had been lumbered with.

Her fists clamped tighter around the daggers, but she centred her calm. Rather than letting herself anger, at how little he thought of her as an opponent, she would use it instead. He didn’t think she was trained, he didn’t think she was strong, he didn’t think she could win. It was perfect. All she had to do was bait him into believing his own assessments and then strike quickly before he realised what was going on. First though, she had to test the waters.

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